TTP publishes second issue of Vogue-style magazine

The 128-page publication carries news bulletins and features articles on how to make bombs

ISLAMABAD: In an effort to promote its ideology and update supporters about its latest actions in the country, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has brought out a high gloss, Vogue-style magazine, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The first issue of Mujjallah magazine was published in November 2016 and reportedly distributed in Pakistan sometime in December last year. The inaugural issue had 56 pages.



The second issue printed a couple of weeks ago is slicker and thicker and has more pages than the first one. The paper quality of the magazine is at par with that of Vogue, besides having fine printing quality.

The cover carries bulletins of the banned outfit’s activities in Pakistan and also features reports on how to make bombs and other explosives.

Some experts who have known about the operations of organisation like TTP stated that the magazine has been modelled after ISIS publications which were available in Arabic and Urdu among other languages.

While declining to be named, they said, the magazine is being printed in Afghanistan, most likely in Jalalabad, and allegedly distributed throughout Pakistan amongst hardcore followers and also has a limited circulation in Afghanistan.

Judging from the kind of language used in the magazine, the articles and features were probably written by non-native Urdu speakers, possibly Arabic-speaking people. The articles have not been attributed to anyone.

Since TTP has lost ground in Pakistan, the magazine is most likely an attempt to spread its propaganda.  It may also be an effort to defame the country, they added.



To illustrate their point, they said that when TTP held a strong position in Pakistan it had never attempted to bring out such a magazine but now after it had lost ground such a publication was released.

They also suspected it to be an attempt to either keep the organisation intact or to broaden its support base.

According to them, when another banned organisation, Jamaatul Ahrar aligned with ISIS Khorasan, they incorporated some members from ISIS Iraq that were media specialists and the publication in question seemed to be the creation of those specialists.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2017.